Like many, I buy nothing frivolous at the start of the year, so please don’t think for a minute that I’m instructing you to go forth and splurge on 30 beauty products you don’t need. But it’s common to find that a hitherto favourite skin, body, hair or makeup product isn’t keeping you as comfy as it should come winter. Perhaps it can’t quite rise to the challenge of a cold snap, and you may find it helpful to swap it out temporarily with something more fit for purpose.
The bulk of my routine is unchanging, but since the weather turned, I’ve added two more layers of hydration to my skincare sandwich, and life is all the better for it. Think of seasonal skincare not as a wardrobe changeover but more as throwing a coat and hat over what you already wear.
In harsh weather, oily skin can become dry and dry skin can become downright painful. Sensitive skin may be especially reactive, rejecting familiar products with stinging or itching. Every skin can seem duller and dehydrated, and our barriers (the skin’s protective outerwear) will take a bashing and can become compromised or unbalanced. You can expect the presence or increased quantity of some ingredients to be helpful.
Look out for ceramides, lipids that supplement the natural ceramides in the skin that are essential for a strong barrier function. Niacinamide, a type of Vitamin B-3, has skin health benefits year-round but is especially useful in calming angry, reddened skin and maintaining barrier function; no winter routine should be without it. Humectants such as hyaluronic and polyglutamic acids, ectoin and good old-fashioned glycerin (a winter wonder) are invaluable in treating skin dehydrated from outdoor weather and indoor heating. All these cannot only be found in skincare but also in makeup – even haircare – too.
So, whatever your weather-related beauty gripe, and wherever you shop, there should be something here to help. I’ve used every last one myself or on my own family.
The best winter beauty buys for 2025
Neutrogena hand cream
£2.43 at Boots
£2.43 at Amazon
When it comes to wind-chapped hands, glycerin is the magic ingredient. Nothing more instantly hydrates, soothes and protects the skin, almost laminating it in ungreasy moisture. Neutrogena’s glycerin-laden hand cream, while neither the sexiest nor most luxurious product out there, is a bestseller for good reason: it works. Be mindful that a little goes a very long way.
Kosas Cloud Set Baked powder
£32 at Cult Beauty
£32 at Space NK
Powder is important if you’d like your makeup to stay put past mid-morning, but in the colder months especially, it can exacerbate the appearance of dryness and wind-chapped texture. This super-light, natural-looking powder locks everything down but stops just short of matte. It gives dryer and older complexions a fresher, sheerer, more flattering, eggshell-like finish. It now comes in an extra three brightening shades for all skin tones.
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast
£11 at Boots
From £11 at La Roche-Posay
In the beauty industry’s first aid kit, this is item No 1: a rich, unctuous balm for every minor family skin trauma, from sensitivity and chapping to rashes, reactions, bites and grazes. This soothing, repairing balm is a winter must. I will never not own it.
Byoma brightening toner
£11.99 at Cult Beauty
£11.99 at Boots
Winter skin is especially prone to dullness but also dryness and sensitivity, meaning the exfoliants that would normally help the former may cause problems for the latter. This contains my favourite exfoliating acid, lactic, but surrounds it with comforting ceramides and glycerin to soothe as it smoothes. Use on a cotton pad after cleansing.
Garnier Anti-Dryness Super UV lotion
£12 at Boots
£6.55 at Amazon
A broad spectrum SPF is important year round – if you’re outdoors or at a window during the day, you need UV protection. This bargain sunscreen is among my personal favourites, and it is perfect for the cold weather since it contains skin-softening glycerin and is rich enough to replace a moisturiser in a time-poor routine. It behaves beautifully under makeup too.
Dove Pro Age body lotion
£2.84 at Boots
£2.84 at Amazon
If your limbs become ashy and flaky in winter, simply using a rich body cream won’t cut it – you’ll likely need an exfoliant to slough off the flakes first. I must have tried every exfoliating body lotion in Britain, and this is my everyday favourite. It sinks in fast, moisturises my ultra-dry skin well, keeps flakiness at bay, is affordable enough to pay for the gallons I need, and smells unusually nice for a chemical exfoliant.
Dove shea butter and vanilla bath soak
£2.50 at Superdrug
£2.50 at Boots
In the depths of winter, hot baths are the best thing for our moods and the worst for our skin. To skip them altogether is miserable, so keep temperatures warm rather than hot, and try to soak for no more than 15 minutes – that’s enough time to increase your body temperature and have a few more minutes’ peace to relax. This lovely, bargain bath foam from Dove is my supermarket favourite. It feels luxurious, smells good and helps mitigate skin dryness.
Dr Jart+ hydrating lip mask
£22 at Boots
£22 at Sephora
Please ignore that the packaging looks like something from a cracker – this is a serious lip balm for severely weather-beaten lips. The secret sauce is, I believe, the matt, stiff but melting texture: unlike other brands, this doesn’t slip and slide off. It stays put and gets to work. Use four to five times daily and expect softer, smoother, happier lips in days.
St Tropez Luxe tan drops
£30 at Look Fantastic
£30 at Boots
There are heaps of glow drops on the market, most of them good, so don’t think you need to spend a fortune – but these from St Tropez are my favourite. They work fast, adding a plumping layer of hydration and a golden, realistic, sunny colour. I mix three drops into my night cream and wake up looking more alive.
Margaret Dabbs nail & cuticle serum
£13 at Sephora
£13 at Margaret Dabbs
If your nails are flaky or prone to splitting and your cuticles are rough, invest in this. It is the only nail moisturiser that saturates my very dry nails without leaving my fingertips greasy and slippery.
Curél deep moisture spray
£19.50 at Boots
£19.49 at Superdrug
A simple idea, executed perfectly. Whenever your skin needs a drink or a cuddle, at any time of day, either under or over makeup, reach for this can and mist all over. It provides instant comfort, refreshment and moisture replenishment. I spray a layer over my serum before the rest of my winter routine, to make a sort of “hydration sandwich”. A very useful product from a brand that is so far reliably terrific across the board.
Fenty Beauty We’re Even hydrating concealer
£25 at Boots
£25 at Sephora
This is already my concealer launch of the year, but it comes into its own during a cold snap. A creamy, hydrating concealer will typically lack staying power; a long-lasting concealer can cause dryness, especially in the dance between cold weather and central heating. This takes the best of both while brightening dull, grey under-eyes and covering any redness. The shade range is typically excellent, too (I’m 140, should that help).
Laneige sleeping masks
£30 at Cult Beauty
£30 at Boots
When combination skins feel drier in winter, it’s tempting to pile on rich, oily skincare for some respite. But this can cause as many problems as it solves. The issue is more likely dehydration that requires humectant ingredients. These are Laneige’s speciality, and its sleeping masks are an ideal way to treat a thirsty face. All three varieties are great, but the Cica version (pictured) is best for sensitive types, and the Water version for anyone else. Ignore the word “mask” and treat these like a night cream in your routine. Apply generously.
L’Oréal Paris plumping tinted serum
£14.99 at Boots
£11.99 at Look Fantastic
Your usual foundation can look flat, dry and dull in winter. An extra-hydrating one with a dewier finish looks more flattering. This one is easy to apply and blend, and it gives a fresh, plumped-up finish. One of the best foundations on the high street.
Neutrogena deep moisture lotion
£3.39 at Boots
£3.35 at Amazon
after newsletter promotion
When it comes to the sort of problem dry skin many of us experience in cold weather, luxury lotions and creams will not touch the sides. Brands like Eucerin, Neutrogena, Vaseline and E45 are the way to go. This is my favourite for everyday use because it absorbs fast. Massage post-shower into shins, elbows, bum – anywhere that feels uncomfortable and dry.
Pai The Light Fantastic ceramide face oil
From £29 at John Lewis
From £29 at Amazon
I’ve said it many times before, but facial oil is a friend to the impatient. No product will more instantly improve the appearance of dry, dull, sad-looking winter skin. Apply at night and you will probably look better by morning. There are many oils I love, but I’ve chosen this ceramide-rich, softening and soothing one from Pai because it worked wonders when I gave it to a friend returning home – red-faced and weather-beaten – from skiing last year.
Ren Smooth, Prep & Plump Essence
£45 at Boots
£34.40 at Amazon
This product single-handedly did the impossible: it made me add a whole new step to my skincare routine – and I’ve never gone back. The fine, viscous lotion contains two powerhouse humectants – polyglutamic and hyaluronic acids – skin-soothing and brightening niacinamide, and a ferment to reduce redness, irritation and an otherwise compromised skin barrier. The cosmetic effect is that it makes my skin look juicy. It’s not at all greasy, suitable for all skin types, and oilier skins may even find it enough of a moisturiser to be able to proceed directly to sunscreen. I must be on my sixth bottle.
Merit Flush balm
£26 at Merit Beauty
Switching from powder to cream blusher adds a little more moisture, bounce and light to the cheeks in darkest, dreariest winter. There’s something much more modern about the finish, too. Merit’s Flush balm makes application a cinch (just dab on to cheeks and lips straight from the domed applicator and smoosh out with fingertips). The new shades Bespoke (for lighter skins) and Postmodern (for deeper tones) give the perfect healthy flush to cold-weather skin.
Facetheory Glow-C moisturiser
£20 at Facetheory
Facetheory is a cracking but underrated brand, and this vitamin C and niacinamide-laden moisturiser is a gift to the low-maintenance beauty fan. It gives non-greasy moisture, glow, comfort and SPF30 protection to dull, dryish foul-weather skin, all at a very fair price and packaged responsibly in aluminium. Hats off.
Bioderma Atoderm cleansing oil
£17.99 at Superdrug
£22 at Boots
If you’ve read the name and imagined a slimy, non-rinsable medicinal gunk, don’t be put off. In fact, this is a light, gentle, silky shower oil that suds nicely, washes thoroughly and rinses away clean. Wonderful for families where sensitivity, dryness, eczema or ichthyosis are an issue for someone – the whole family can enjoy using it. Not cheap, but the bottle is huge and lasts ages. There’s one in my shower at this very minute.
Nuxe Hair Prodigieux leave-in cream
£17.60 at Boots
£22 at M&S
Hair is typically so dry, frizzy and/or flyaway in winter that to send your conditioner down the plughole is to miss a trick. This lovely leave-in conditioner moisturises, defrizzes and makes all hair types, from fine to curly, silky and fragrant. It also doubles up as an all-important heat protectant for drying and styling.
Lumene oat milk oil cleanser
£13.42 at John Lewis
£13.90 at Look Fantastic
If your winter skin remains comfortable with your usual cleanser, stick with it. But if face washes and other rinse-offs suddenly feel drying and tight, switch to a milk version. Cleansing milks clean just as well without the need for sulphates and suds. This beautiful, fragrance-free, gentle cleansing milk from Lumene is a pleasure. Massage into dry skin to loosen makeup, sunscreen and dirt, then use a warm, damp flannel to remove.
Kitsch moisturising spa socks
£13.50 at Selfridges
£16 at Kitsch
Beauty’s least glamorous product is one I am never without. These silicone gel-lined socks trap in moisture and soften hard, calloused and cracked heels. Apply any body, foot or hand cream (the Neutrogena hand cream works great) to your feet, pull on the socks, and either wear them to bed or hidden underneath your regular winter hosiery. The results are fast and gratifying. These versions from Kitsch are great, but don’t get bogged down by brands. I buy generic versions from Amazon, so grab whatever you can lay your hands/toes on.
Shark CryoGlow LED mask
£299.99 at Boots
£299.99 at John Lewis
Do you need an expensive – or, indeed, any – LED mask? No. But they can be helpful, and winter is when we have the most time to sit still indoors wearing an unsightly contraption. I have owned several in my time, but this new one from Shark is my favourite because of its versatility. Like its competitors, it offers either red (anti-ageing) or blue (anti-breakout) treatments but, uniquely, it simultaneously cools eyes to reduce the puffiness to which winter dehydration makes me particularly prone. I’ll be in Stormtrooper mode until spring.
L’Oréal Paris Elvive bond repair treatment
£15.99 at Boots
£6.50 at Amazon
Deepest winter and the height of summer are the worst times for hair damage and breakage, so now would be a good time to invest in a bond-repair product to strengthen lengths and improve texture. Bonding products are known for their high price, but Elvive’s is relatively fair and performs well. Apply five or so minutes before washing.
The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier serum
£13.50 at Boots
£15 at the Inkey List
The beauty industry is very excited about amino acid derivative ectoin. It can hold water on the skin and protect cells against extreme weather conditions. This excellent and well-priced ectoin serum from the Inkey List is just the thing if your skin is parched, chapped, red and itchy from the meeting between biting cold and central heating.
Simple repairing rich cream
£6.66 at Boots
£5.35 at Amazon
Many of us feel the need to ramp up our moisturiser in winter, but for such a short spell of time, one needn’t splurge. I’m very impressed by the quality and feel of this vegan-friendly day and night cream. It contains all the comforting skin soothers one needs (ceramides, cica), sits nicely under makeup, and comes in at under a tenner.
Nip+Fab ceramide overnight cream
£27.95 at Nip+Fab
£29.95 at Asos
If you make no other move to ramp up your usual skincare routine in winter, consider using a richer night cream before bed. Something thicker, with a little more oil content and skin barrier-restoring ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide, is ideal for giving your face a little TLC. This, from the excellent Nip+Fab line, ticks every box, plus the use of a lighter moisturiser like squalane means the cream feels rich but not greasy.
Aquaphor lip protectant + sunscreen
£8.99 at Amazon
People rarely remember to protect their lips against UV, which is why so many skiers return with sunburnt, wind-chapped mouths. This SPF30 salve is a great everyday lip balm for home and away that softens any chapping on contact and doesn’t leave behind a jammy, glossy film. If you happen to be travelling to the US or are prepared to pay for the many imports available here, the stick format of this is even better.
Body Shop olive body butter
£19 at the Body Shop
£19.91 at Amazon
Body Shop’s brilliant fair trade body butters have been moisturising dry, flaky winter limbs for decades, but they’re secretly more versatile. As well as massaging this into my entire body, I like dropping a palmful under running bath water for an indulgent skin-softening soak. This variety, enriched with organic Italian olive oil, is my favourite for very dry skin (along with the intensely creamy avocado version), but there’s at least one “flavour” for every skin type.
